Air-heater for locomotive.



C. ROCHELLE. AIR HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES. APPLlCATiON FILED FEB 23. l98.

INVENTOR 65m Row/m5 A TTORIVE Y8 Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

WITNESSE "P6 @W man CARL ROCHELLE, 0F RALEIGH, NORTH GAROLINJL AIR-HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Application filed February 23, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL Roonnnnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Raleigh, in the county of l/Vake and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Heaters for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in air heaters for locomotives, and has for its 01 ject to provide mechanism of the character specified for heating air and delivering it to the fire box of the engine, so arranged that direct draft may be avoided, and wherein means is provided for admitting cold air to the fire box when desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial view of a locomotive, with parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows adj acentto the line; and

Fig. 3 is a partial front view of the fire box.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a locomotive 1 of usual construction, the said locomotive having a fire box 2 and an ashpan 3 below the same, together with the fines a leading from the fire box to the smoke chamber 5 at the front of the locomotive. This chamber has the smoke stack 6 leading therefrom, and the said chamber is jacketed, having an outer inclosing wall 7 which is spaced apart from the wall of the chamber to form an annular passage 8. This annular passage 8 provides a means for heating air which is taken from the outside and which is delivered to the ash pan by means of a pipe 9 leading from the lower part of the annular chamber to the ash pan, where it delivers as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Dampers l0 and 11 are provided at the front and rear of the passage at the top of the boiler, and the said dampers are hinged to the walls 7 to permit them to be opened or closed. Each damper has an outwardly extending arm 12, and links 13 are connected with the arms. These links extend into the cab, where they are connected with levers 14 and 15, respectively, the damper 10 being connected with the lever 14L, while the damper 11. is connected with the lever 15. These lovers have latch mechanism for hold- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Serial No. 218,729.

ing them in adjusted position, and by means of the levers either damper may be opened.

When the locomotive is going forward, the damper 10 is closed and the damper 11 is opened, in order to avoid a direct draft through the heating chamber into the ash pan. When the locomotive is going backward, the valve 11 will be closed and the valve 10 opened for the same purpose. Thus air is admitted to the jacket and is heated by the heated air in the smoke chamber and passes backwardly through the pipe 11 and is delivered into the ash pan and the fire box.

it will-be noticed from an inspection of Fig. 3 that the pipe 9 flares as it opens into the ash pan, opening the full width of the ash pan. This flaring portion is indicated at 16.

When access is desired to the fire box for any purpose while steam pressure is retained in the boiler, I provide a damper 17 at the front of the annular chamber 8 and at the under side of the boiler,which may be opened when desired to admit cold air to the chamber, to the pipe 9 and to the fire box. This damper is controlled by a lever 18 having latch mechanism arranged in the cab and connect-ed to the damper by means of a link 19, the link being connected at one end with the lever and at the other to an arm 20 on the damper. It will be noticed that the latch mechanism 21 of the lever comprises a toothed quadrant and a latch lever, permitting any desired opening of the damper.

With the improved heater, the air delivered to the fire may be heated before delivery, and cold air may be also delivered to the tire box when desired. While the improvement is shown in connection with a locomotive, it will 'be obvious that it is applicable to any kind of boiler, either movable or stationary.

The ash pan 3 is fire-proof and of solid construction, having only the opening which is normally closed by the damper. The purpose of this construction of pan is to prevent dropping of fire on the right of way.

I claim:

1. In combination with the boiler of a locomotive, of a jacket inclosing the boiler at the smoke chamber, said jacket forming an annular air chamber around the smoke chamher, said chamber having openings at its front and rear at the top of the boiler and at the bottom of the boiler, dampers hinged at the openings at the front and rear of the top of the jacket and at the front of the bottom of the jacket, means for controlling each damper, and a delivery pipe leading from the opening at the rear and bottom of the jacket to the ash pan.

2. In combination with a boiler, of a jacket inclosing the boiler at the smoke chamber, said jacket forming an annular air chamber around the smoke chamber, a delivery pipe leading from the chamber at the under side of the boiler and delivering to the fire box, means for admitting air at either end of the jacket at the top of the fire box, means for admitting air to the jacket at the top of the boiler, and means :l'or admitting air at the front of the jacket at the bottom of the boiler.

CARL ROCHELLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

